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Net Neutrality is widely discussed on blogs, newspapers, and
facebook user pages and on other sources all over the nation and even in World.
This blog post is an attempt to understand net neutrality in common man’s
perspective. I support Net Neutrality.

The whole concept of net neutrality debate started in many countries
in the past and they have agreed for net neutrality with an opinion that
Internet is must for growth of a country in various ways let it be economical
or educational.

Net neutrality can be defined as unbiased, uncontrolled and
unrestricted access to resources available online to a user with an internet
connection. Net neutrality allows a user of internet to access any website or
app or service without any restriction at their choice from any Internet
Service Provider (ISPs) or Mobile Service Providers.

Recently in India debate on net neutrality started with Telecom
Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) interest in revising the norms for
Indian Telecos providing Internet service to users. Telecos are the service
providers providing Internet to the mobile users mainly and also others through
data cards. To control the huge potential (of money) in the growing demand of
internet usage especially mobile internet in India majority Telecos have come
together with a request to stop net neutrality.

Telecos have come up with an argument in support of their
demand of no net neutrality that they have invested huge sum (in thousands of crores)
to build network infrastructure and providing hassle free service like phone,
sms and high speed mobile data connection (3G or 4G). Because of On-The-Top
(OTT) services like WhatsApp, Viber or Skype (to name a few are using network infrastructure
built by Telecos and causing loss of their income as users are not using
services like call or SMS and instead use OTT services. OTT services are threat
to conventional calls and SMS and more people are moving towards such OTT
services making Telecos to undergo huge loss as they have invested and
investing on Network infrastructure and maintenance. The fruits of telecos investment
are taken away by OTT service providers making huge profits with little or zero
investment. So Telecos are proposing for no net neutrality and planning for new
services similar to existing OTT services by themselves and don’t
let other OTT service providers to take away their investment.

On other hand popular OTT services are ready to pay hefty amounts to
Telcos and make sure that only their service are made available to users easily
dominating the OTT service or App market. In such scenario only establishments ready to
pay hefty amounts will win the race and others will definitely lose. Other side
of the coin is users will be forced only to use such OTT sevices having good deal with
Telecos.

Both Telecos and popular OTT services are making huge profits. But
the actual losers are the end users, medium and low business establishments and
entrepreneurs. Same scenario happened to the general public in case of Direct
to Home (DTH) operators few years back. Users were forced to pay for separate packs
and all packs were available only for substantially high price. Intelligently Telecos
and popular OTTs are trying to bring similar situation even with Internet usage
as it has huge potential making users not to have any choices except using the
ones provided by Telecos and OTT service providers by paying extra money.

Some cons of No Net Neutrality:

Telecos can control the access speed of OTT services or App
or websites which are not in deal with them and divert users to the ones having
deal with them.

Telecos can charge for accessing OTT services based on their wish as
it will be like offering extra service apart from regular Internet. Customer
need to pay both for Internet and added service.

OTTs can influence Telecos by paying hefty amounts to
Telecos and make sure only their services are provided for free and with high
speed to users.

Telecos can come up with new OTT services as similar to the existing
ones and user will be forced to use such services.

Medium or low level establishments or entrepreneurs may lose
or give up in race as they cannot pay hefty amounts to have a deal with telecos
or to sustain without customers.

Internet has become and becoming part and parcel of our day
to day life. Starting from the time we wake up to sleep and beyond. We are
dependent on it from paying bills online to reserving travel tickets and many
more at our convenience thorough Neutral Internet or Net Neutrality. By no net
neutrality the healthy ecosystem of internet usage which still at growing stage
in India will be definitely spoiled. Telecos are arguing they are in loss but
they are not providing Internet service for free and charging high prices for a
single Giga Byte (GB) of data and users are increasing for day usage by paying
money. So no question arises about the loss to Telecos.

Internet is becoming inevitable and days are not so far that
it will be added to our fundamental rights not only in India but all over the
World. Concerned authorities should take the decision and make sure internet is
available in neutral form to end users without any bias, control and
restriction.